What’s next for Mobile Phone Technology?

A breakthrough in the telecommunications industry came in 1973 when Martin Cooper made the first call via mobile phone. Fast forward in 2018, mobile phones are influencing our lifestyle, both personally and professionally. As evolution is crucial for survival, the mobile industry is striving hard to inculcate latest technological advancements in the production and application of mobile phones.

Recently concluded Mobile World Congress 2018 also revealed some of the most incredible innovations in mobile phone technology. If you wonder, what your smartphone will be like in 2020, based on industry research and emerging technologies, here are some of the forecasts for the future technology of mobile phones:

1. Stunning Ergonomic Design Overflowing With Elegance

No Camera Covering The Screen

When Apple iPhone X made a debut, the notch at the top was ridiculed and mocked by other manufacturers. But Apple justified the inclusion of notch by clarifying that space was needed to house the TrueDepth Camera System. This set up is responsible for the functioning of Face ID facial recognition system and Animoji feature.

Now slowly, other manufacturers are planning to clone the same design and Asus has already unveiled the Zenfone 5, with exact similar design to that of iPhone X. Also, Vivo V9 and Oppo F7 have been recently been launched with a similar design which makes it clear that the notch is going to scale higher up the Android chain.

Vivo Apex, a concept phone, stuns viewers with 98 percent screen to body ratio. The under-glass fingerprint sensor requires you to place your finger on the screen to unlock the phone. It doesn’t stop here. Tap the camera button, click on selfie camera, and watch front camera pop up from behind the screen.

In-screen Fingerprint Scanner

Also, Vivo has launched X20 Plus UD, which is world’s first Smartphone with an in-display fingerprint sensor and we are hoping to see this technology in most of the Smartphones by 2020.

2. Futuristic Technology Augments Smartphone Capabilities

Augmented Reality

Technology enthusiasts are swooning over augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). While the former projects a 3D visual of a real-life object, the latter simulates a virtual environment for gaming and entertainment purpose. The AR segment is already witnessing a significant boost. This is evident from the fact that Apple and Google launched ARKit and ARCore respectively. These are frameworks that bear the responsibility of harnessing AR technology in mobile phones. The holographic display, along with AR technology, will be able to project 3D content in front of you.

You can expect to see new laser sensors capable of mapping the 3D environment around you and using that to create data in augmented reality applications.

Next-Generation Enhanced VR Experience

There are plenty of apps and VR sets like Google Cardboard and Samsung Gear VR for experiencing virtual visualization. The future development of mobile phones will surely enhance VR experience for the users.

3. Battery That Revives In A Few Minutes

Graphene Balls

With our phones becoming more powerful with better displays and high-quality graphics, battery life remains the biggest concern among smartphone users. Researchers are meticulously developing efficient batteries that get charged within minutes and boast sufficient charge capacity. Recently, researchers at Samsung introduced the use of graphene, a replacement for the lithium-ion battery. They have developed a popcorn-shaped layer known as “graphene-ball“, which was able to charge the battery in just 12 minutes with up to 45% more capacity. That is 5 times faster-charging speeds than lithium-ion.

Also, in the near future, we will see the use of Nano-battery technology in the mobile phones, which is going to be hundred times smaller than the current power packs and will have an improved material like lithium metal foil. But all these aspects can be a thing of the past as researchers from the University of Washington have developed battery-free phones that harvest ambient radio signals or light to power them. If the prototype gets approved, you will have the option of purchasing a battery-free smartphone in the next few years.

Speaking about advancements, Qualcomm has come up with their latest technology which is going to have a Dual Charge and battery saver, which will add the speed and safety, while reducing the heating during charging. It has all the advantages of its previous version, Quick Charge 4. Currently, this technology is on top of the bill and is called Quick Charge 4+ by its developers. Further, it optimizes battery consumption to sustain long-lasting performance.

By 2020, we can expect most of the Smartphones endowed with the same or higher resolution. In addition to the 4K display, the concept of foldable screens is also a matter of curiosity in the public. ZTE Axon M boasts of a foldable dual-screen, however, it lacks perfection as the concept is in the initial stages.

5. Powerful Camera for Varying Light Conditions

Dual-Camera Module

The next big thing in the near future is an ultra-high sensitivity camera being developed by Sony. The setup comprises of 2 lenses and the Sony fusion image signal processor. The purpose of this futuristic combination is to capture images and videos in pitch dark conditions without compromising on the details. The ISO sensitivity is marked at 51,200 for photographs and 12,800 for videos, undoubtedly the highest for mobile phones.

Recently, Samsung has been doing a lot of research & development to improve the quality of their cameras. They have come up with a powerful tool, a variable aperture which will change the future of photography in mobiles. Variable aperture means the phone can actually change the aperture of the lens i.e. a wide-open aperture will let in more light, while narrow aperture will let in less light.

This will help the camera to capture a brighter image in the dark. The mechanical process of moving the aperture takes only a split second and is working fine on Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ model. We wouldn’t be surprised to see other Android manufacturers include similar technology in their handsets pretty soon.

6. Superior Network Speeds & Connectivity

5G New Radio Technology

Qualcomm has revealed that it’s striving hard to roll out 5G New Radio (NR) technology that will revolutionize wireless broadband connectivity without compromising on factors like latency and reliability. It utilizes OFDM-based 5G unified air interface to ensure optimized performance. 5G is stimulating its engine and is expected to be launched by 2020. 5G is going to take download speeds to the next level, offering unbelievably high speeds which can go up to 50 times faster than 4G.

Video calling has become a major part of lives these days, especially for the people, who can’t see each other every day. Apps like Skype and FaceTime help people to connect, personally as well as professionally. With the evolution in front camera development, the time is not far when you will be using 4K video calling feature on your mobile phone.

7. Smarter Digital Assistants

Artificial Intelligence

The likes of Cortana, Siri & Google Assistant are already playing big roles in today’s fast-moving world by helping users to perform desired functions. In the next few years, we can expect these assistants to become smarter and will understand the humans better.

So, now you should have a good idea of what’s coming over the next 2-3 years in the world of Smartphones. As the technology progresses, we are expecting mobile phones to understand humans fully. There are higher chances of Smartphones becoming human’s best friend that will help them to make their lives easy.

8. Intelligent Operating System for Efficient Management

Android P

We will start with Android P, which is already available for its developers from March 2018. The beta version will undergo through various updates until the final version lands roughly in August this year. Android P will make its debut on Google’s Pixel 3 at the end of the year. You can expect a complete makeover in design, improvised camera API, and so on.

Talking about the latest OS’s, Android Oreo (Go edition) is already available in the market. This OS is specially designed for entry-level phones to give them a powerful experience which is built with new apps. One of the notable features is that the apps consume less space giving more storage so that you can have more control over the way you want to organize the files.

Android Go is specifically meant for low-end mobile phones with 1 GB RAM and 16 GB storage. Currently, mobile phones like Nokia 1 and ZTE Tempo Go are powered by Android Go. We can expect an array of smartphones in 2018, running on Android Go.

9. Revolutionary Processors Fueling Smartphone Dynamics

Qualcomm

The all new Samsung Galaxy S9 has already arrived with Snapdragon 845 processor which is pretty impressive. But, there are rumors in the market that developers are already working on Snapdragon 855 chipset which will be introduced in the Samsung Galaxy S10. This chip is going to be smaller than 845, which will allow for improved performance and better efficiency.

Recently, Qualcomm has also introduced a new Snapdragon 700 platform series which will allow the manufacturers to deliver finest features, including On-device Artificial Intelligence. This chip is said to be able to improve the battery life up to 30% and provide much better performance than the predecessors.

Currently, 256 GB is the maximum internal storage memory available on smartphones. With increasing graphics resolutions and faster network speeds, the day is not far away when 256 GB will be slightly less for some users. In future, Smartphone users do expect mobile phone developers to come up with phones that will have 500 GB internal memory.

Vivo Xplay 7 plans to break the 8 GB RAM barrier by offering a whopping 10 GB RAM. Coupled with 4K OLED display and 512 GB internal memory, the beast will surely pose a tough competition and is first of its kind.

Turing Robotics Industries (TRI), a USA based company is working on their model, Turing Phone Cadenza, which will have 12 GB RAM and may be launched this year. This feat surely depicts the technological prowess in the smartphone industry.

Technology has a sole purpose of simplifying human lives and support human advancement. The launch of mobile phones integrated with the aforementioned technologies will surely assist humans in increasing their capability and efficiency.

Hello! My name is Vinoth Kumar. I'm a full time blogger and owner of "Review Station". I'm a consumer like you who often purchase products online and I hope my post will help you to find best products online.

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